The U.S. state of California is set to close the final two areas of its commercial Dungeness crab fishery following a confirmed case of a humpback whale becoming entangled in gear from the fishery.
“On 13 June 2025, I evaluated entanglement risk for the commercial Dungeness crab fisheries,” California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton Bonham said in a memo. “Upon evaluation of the management considerations pursuant to [state law], I have determined that the management action listed below protects humpback whales based on the best available science.”
Commercial fishing in zones 1 and 2 will end at 6 p.m. on 20 June.
The final closures comes shortly after a confirmed humpback whale entanglement. On 7 June, a juvenile humpback whale was reported entangled in two sets of California Dungeness crab fishing gear northwest of Eureka. According to NGO Oceana, four humpback whales have been entangled off the California coast since March 2025; California Dungeness crab gear was found and confirmed in two of the incidents.
“The distressing entanglement of a young whale off Northern California underscores the urgent need for more protective measures and expanding the use of pop-up fishing gear,” Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Senior Scientist Francine Kershaw said in a statement. “Pop-up fishing gear can allow whales and fishers to safely coexist and create a whale-safe seafood choice for Californians.”
Confirmed entanglements require CDFW to either ...
